The so-called Mattei Obelisk (Obelisco Mattei) is located near the Via della Navicella entrance of the Villa Celimontana Park in Rome. It is one of 9 obelisks in Rome brought over from Egypt. Before it was placed here, it had already had been in two other locations.
Mattei Obelisk Rome
History and description
The Villa Celimontana used to be the residence of the Mattei family, but was turned into a public park in 1925.
It was brought to Rome from Heliopolis, where it was dedicated to Pharaoh Ramses II.
Before it was placed in the Villa Celimontana it was first put in the Tempio di Iside Capitolina and later, until 1952, at the foot of the Aracoeli. Because of this last location it is sometimes also called the Capitoline Obelisk.
In 1528 the Roman Senate presented the obelisk as a gift to Duke Ciriaco Mattei as a renumeration for his good works.
The obelisk itself is fairly short, with a height of 2,7m. Together with its base, however, it is a little more than 12m tall. It stands at the eastern end of the Viale Spellman, near the Via della Navicella entrance to the park.